Varicose stocking

ABSTRACT

293,429. Damon, F. July 6, 1927, [Convention date]. Elastic stockings.-The heel part of the stocking comprises two parts 6 joined by a narrow strip 12 which traverses the opening 5 provided for the heel. The heel part is shown in position on the front part 11 before being sewn laterally thereto. The heel part is double, the two thicknesses having common webs 13. The knitting of the heel part proceeds in the direction of the arrow to the point 9 whereupon the width is gradually decreased to that of the strip 12. When the strip 12 is of sufficient length the part 9 is remounted on the machine and the right-hand part is knitted in connection therewith.

Dec. 15, 1931. A. #OUTHE 1,836,679

vARIcosE sTocKING Original Filed Feb. '7, 1928 c ,3 4e l Patented Dec.l5, 1931 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE `AUGUSTE MOUTHE, OF LYON, FRANCE,.ASSIGNOR T FRANCVISQUE DAlVlON,` 0F

' LYON, FRANCE l 1 VARICOSE STOCKING Original application The presentinvention relates to varicose stockings of the type knit to grip or hugthe leg, which, as is generally known, are made with an opening for theheel in order that the upper part of the stocking may not be for thereason that the stitches constitute weak points in the stocking butalso, and above all, because the aforesaid edges l have a tendency tofold back and form ridges during walking, which is extremely uncom-Vortable and sometimes painful.

According to this invention, the heelopening is produced on the knittingmachine itself, without whip-stitching, and it is surrounded by a zoneor region in which the fabric is doubled, thereby reinforcing the edgesof the opening and preventing the formation of ridges. Moreover, thisdoubled zone or region is restricted to the rear half of the stocking,so that the front part of the latter 'is not given a` peculiarappearance..

In this same double or two-ply zone, it is also possible, on the otherhand, to fasten together the two main or elementary fabrics at aplurality of points by means of rows of connected loops; such fasteningserving to attach the two elementary fabrics more intimately one to theother, so that they willact exactly like a single fabric of doublethick- DESS.

ing in the region of the heel, is a fabric knitted in two thicknesseswhich are adapted led February 7, 1928, Serial No. 252,575, and. inFrance April 11, 1927. and this application filed December 1, 1930.Serial No. 499,341.

Divided to be fastened together at definite points by rows of connectedloops, asexplained above.

The present case is a division of my prior parent application ilo.252,575, filed on or about February 7, 1928, Patent No. 1,786,862.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly `broken away, of a varicose stocking inuse;

Fig. 2 is a view of the rear face ing'according to the invention andprovided witha heel strap; A

Fig. 3 is a fragmental section on line tgv-3, Fig. 2, showingthe'connection between the two elementary fabrics;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the rear face, the knitting being supposedlycut at-C-G and D-D to permit the fabric to be flattened out.

A varicose stocking,asisgenerally known,

of al stockis asort of flexible tube having an opening, V

indicated at 1 in Fig. 1, for the heel 2' of the wearer; this openinghaving been made, up to the present, by hand and after the stocking hasbeen knit. It may, for instance, be formed by dropping two loops todetermine he ends of the opening, unraveling the part between the twoholes thus produced, and then whip-stitching the two edges of theopening. These edges, however, tend to roll up and form ridges under thefoot which are apt to hurt the wearer, as it has been stated.

The vstocking'of the present invention is produced with a slit oropening 5 (Fig. 2) which is produced directly by the knitting itselfand, hence, vwithout whip-stitching or similar binding. Moreover, it isreinforced around this slit by means of a second fabric 6 which linesthe first one on the rear half of the stocking for a` distance of a fewcenti* meters above and below the said slit. As will be apparent fromFig. 1, the reinforcement or lining 6 is restricted to the rear part ofthe stocking and does not show at the front of the leg, so that it ishardly visible at all; moreover, it avoids the formation of ridges7 thusovercoming a substantial defect. Also, it prolongs the life of thestocking and preserves all its flexibility in the region of the heel.

Knitting proceeds in the direction of the arrow on an ordinary knittingmachine until the two On reaching a certain point-for instance,

the point .fl-the opening 5 is formed,rand there is also formed, at thesame time, a strap or attachment which divides said opening in two andwhich is long enough to passaround the heel without, in so doing,pulling down the stockng in an unusual way. For this purpose whenreaching this point 9, a series of reductions in width is formed in therear part of the knitting until a narrow strip 12 is produced; and whenthis strip has reached a suitable length the workman takes back on themachine needles the loops C, C: that is to say, a certain number oflateral loops on the tapering portion, six for instance on each side. Onresuming the knitting operation over the whole width of the face, theseloops C, 'C are joined to new loops D. D, and the fabric represented inFig. 2 is obtained.

Figs. 2 and 4 show a series of lines 13 which represent rows of loopscommon to the two main or elemental fabrics 6 and 8 that constitute therear face (Fig. These connections insure a satisfactory attachment ofthe two fabrics and avoid slipping and folding; and, at the same time`the stocking thus formed tends to adopt the shape of the heel itselfwhich gives it an artistic appearance. The stocking is finished byconnecting the edges of the front face with those of the double rearface 6 8, which can readily be done either by hand or by an operationwell known in the manufacture of ordinary ribbed stockings.

I claim as my invention 1. A knitted varicose stocking, provided with aheel opening which is formed in the course of the knitting operation;and a strap connecting the two edges of the opening and adapted toextend around the heel.

2. A knitted varicose stocking, embodying a two-ply heel portionprovided with a heel opening which is formed in the course of theknitting operation, the two plies of such portion being fastenedtogether by rows of connected loops; and a strap connecting the twoedges of the opening and adapted to extend around the heel.

8. In a method of knitting varicose stockings, the steps of separatelyknitting the rear face of the heel zone while tapering its widthgradually; knitting a narrow strap at the end of the tapered part of therear face; then resuming the knitting for the full width of said rearface; and uniting the first row of loops of the full-width part with anumber

